


One Last Moment

by blueberryhitoshi



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, F/M, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Not really though, Self-Harm, Unrequited Love, chapter 131 spoilers, no happy ending, very light though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:53:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29891082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueberryhitoshi/pseuds/blueberryhitoshi
Summary: You’d known it would come to this eventually, but you just wanted one last moment with him.
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Reader
Kudos: 14





	One Last Moment

**Author's Note:**

> The Omegaverse dynamic is very light yet heavy at the same time. I don’t know how to explain it and the self-harm isn’t really self-harm, it’s more like hurting yourself to get out of a situation. 
> 
> Tumblr: blueberryhitoshi

“It was because I wanted to see you...Annie.” 

“Why?” 

“Huh? You really don’t understand? Even though Hitch teases me that much? 

You couldn’t bear to listen anymore — you knew what was happening. You’d been expecting it. You felt the tears slip from your eyes and let out a chuckle. It was funny. You’d prepared for this for years but you only just now felt your heart shatter into pieces. 

Your chuckles soon turned into sobs and collapsed to your knees. Did the mark on your neck mean nothing to him? You did your damndest to be the best omega he could ask for and it just...amounted to nothing? All you gained from doing your duty for your alpha was a meaningless claim. 

It was truly pathetic. 

You couldn’t bring yourself to hate the woman Armin had come to love. Annie was an amazing, bright young woman with exceptional fighting skills and was easy to talk to (something you learned during your time as trainees together). You could understand how someone could come to fall in love with her despite her cold exterior. 

You could smell Armin — an ocean breeze mixed with pine — coming closer to the door you were standing behind, no doubt having smelt your distressed pheromones. You wiped away your tears and got back onto your feet. He already knew you were crying but you wanted to save yourself from his attempts at comforting you. 

You walked down the stairs that led below deck. You weren’t avoiding him, per say, but just trying to postpone the conversation for as long as possible. Was it truly your fault for wanting to remain his mate just a little while longer? 

“Are you feeling alright?” You jumped when you felt a hand touch your shoulder, scared it was the blond man you dreaded seeing. With a sigh of relief, you turned around to see it was just Onyankopon. Being in the presence of an alpha that wasn’t your own calms your nerves a bit, but maybe that was just the effect the foreign man had on others. You always did feel somewhat peaceful when interacting with him. 

You rolled the question around in your brain. Should you lie and say that you were feeling just dandy, only overwhelmed by everything going on? Pretend like you hadn’t just had your heart broken into a million pieces by the one who held it in the palm of his hand? Or should you tell the truth and spill everything to him? Tell him about how Armin fell in love with another woman and didn’t have the balls to tell you? How everyday for the past four years, you’ve felt a part of yourself slip away every time he went to visit Annie in her hardened state? 

It would be so easy to lie and escape a conversation in which you’d have to verbally come to terms with what was happening. Telling the truth is never easy but you supposed that’s why it feels good to get it off your chest. “Honestly? No, I’m not.” Unfortunately, there was no feeling of a weight coming off your shoulders. 

Onyankopon nodded, “I’m all ears if you’d like to talk about it.” 

“No,” You shook your head. “I don’t think I’m quite ready, just yet. But I’ll keep that in mind when I am. Thank you.” The man just nodded his head once more before walking off, going back to whatever he’d been doing before your little chat. You felt a few more tears run down your face but you paid them no mind — apparently they were good for the skin. Not that there was any proof backing it so you didn’t know whether to believe it or not. 

You decided to wipe them away. 

A headache came on, making you hold your head in your hand. It’s from all the crying, no doubt. You were just exhausted. Perhaps you could find a place to rest. 

  
  
  


It was amazing how the night sky still managed to look so beautiful amongst all the death and destruction. Even in the deepest darkness, light manages to shine through and light a path to the dawn. The stars were your guide in this moment of heartache, lighting the way to better times. You sighed — such poetic thoughts never made you feel better. You truly didn’t know why you’d bothered. 

You stopped the relentless scratching on your claim, running your fingers over the inflamed and irritated skin. You’d been at this since you awoke from your nap, desperate to get rid of the damned thing. It was futile; the only way to get rid of a mark was to have it replaced with a new one or die. That didn’t stop you from trying. Maybe you’d be the first omega to remove a claim by physically removing it? You’d be famous for it and end up in a few history books. 

Always such a wishful thinker, you were. 

Then you smelled it. Sea breeze and pine — you’d been expecting it for a while. You weren’t prepared to talk to him, but you never would be so it was best to get it over with. He stood beside you, copying your pose of resting your arms on the edge of the boat, looking up at the clear night sky. You dared to spare a glance his way; he looked handsome as always. His blonde hair still managed to look silky smooth and his blue eyes remained ever as bright. He still looked like the man you loved. 

You quickly looked away, unable to bear the sight of him for any longer than that moment. “One last moment…” You whispered. “...that’s all I ask.” You knew he could probably hear you, but if he did, Armin didn’t speak on it. 

“It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” He commented. “Not as beautiful as you, of course, but it’s a close second.” A small smile came to your face; charming as always, he was. However the smile quickly fell when you remembered you were second to someone else. You couldn’t help yourself from raking your nails against your irritated skin. 

Hurting yourself wouldn’t make you feel better, but it felt like the only option at the time. You cleared your throat, “It sure is. It’s definitely a contrast to the horrors going on in Marley.” A contrast to your feelings, as well. 

It was silent for a while before Armin spoke up. “Why are you scratching at it?”  _ It.  _ You didn’t know if you wanted to laugh or to cry. He spoke about  _ it  _ as if it were merely a rash or a scab and not a declaration of love. That was definitely the nail in the coffin. 

You whirled around to face him, nostrils flared and eyes blazing with fury. “Why?” You spoke through grit teeth. “You know damn well  _ why,  _ you fucking piece….” You took in a breath and turned back to face the ocean. One, breath in, two, breathe out, three, breathe in, four, breathe out. “I’m not going to waste anymore energy on this. I refuse to let myself pussyfoot around this any longer.” 

“I don’t—“ 

“You do!” You shouted, breathing heavy once more. “Stop lying to me, god damnit!” You faced him once more, refusing to back down. “Stop being a pussy and just tell me you love her, Armin!”

When he didn’t say anything, you broke down, dropping to your knees in a fit of broken sobs. “I’m so,  _ so  _ tired of this. For the past four years, I’ve done nothing but love you and this is what I get? You falling in love with someone else and not having the balls to just tell me? You can’t even give me that, Armin? Do you think so little of me?” 

He crouched down and gently held your face in his hands, wiping away your tears, “I’m sorry. I really am.” 

You leaned into his touch, letting yourself experience it one last time. One last part of you stayed with him when you stood up and rid your face of any leftover tears. “Sorry won’t cut it this time, I’m afraid.” You sniffled. Turning away one last time, you walked to the door, “I wish you and Annie nothing but the best. 

“Good night, Armin.” 

  
  
  
  



End file.
